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By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — A panic-inducing phone call, an alleged arrest warrant and a frantic drive to a neighborhood gas station: For many victims, that’s how cryptocurrency ATM scams begin. Callers posing as law enforcement, government officials or utility workers pressure people to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash and feed it into cryptocurrency kiosks. Once the money is transferred, it’s nearly impossible to recover.
Councilor Stephanie Telles introduced the Virtual Currency Ordinance, which would ban cryptocurrency ATMs, also known as bitcoin teller machines, and cashier-assisted cryptocurrency transactions throughout Albuquerque. The proposal would require operators to shut down and remove existing machines within 45 days of the law taking effect. Businesses that host the kiosks or operators who fail to comply could face daily fines and the loss of their business licenses.
Telles told The Paper cryptocurrency kiosks have become a favored tool for scammers who impersonate government officials, bank representatives, police officers and tech-support workers to pressure victims, especially seniors, into depositing cash. She said New Mexico reported $86.6 million in cryptocurrency fraud losses in 2025, including $55.8 million from elderly victims. The scams accounted for 53% of all fraud losses in the state, and because many cases go unreported, the true impact is likely higher.”This is about the mechanics of these specific machines,” she said, calling the transactions fast, anonymous and irreversible.
If the measure passes, Albuquerque will join cities like Spokane, Wash., and Layton, Utah in pulling the plug on the machines for good. The proposed ordinance sits in the Finance and Government Operations Committee, which meets again Aug. 10.
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